Got extra zucchinis (courgettes) or carrots? Make these delicious vegetable pancakes (fritters)! It’s a great way to use up these vegetables and incorporate more healthy ingredients into your diet.

My dad has a little garden growing a variety of different vegetables including massive zucchinis that are as long as my forearm and thick as both my fists put together. I’m not sure if he is going for the record for largest organic zucchini grown in an urban garden in Western Canada, but he could be a contender if he really tried.

My mom has a habit of seeking out deals, particularly food deals. So rest assure, if there is a deal on a 10 pound bag of carrots, they are being bought and I get to hear all about it and must take some home.

For this recipe, I bought the carrots and zucchini from the supermarket as the aforementioned zucchinis are not yet ready to be harvested and I guess, the carrots were not on sale. When that day comes, I will be making this recipe again and again to use up the all the veggies.

These pancakes were a hit in our household of two (just me and the husband). He described them as the best zucchini recipe he's ever had, saying that they taste like a vegetarian breakfast sandwich in one bite.

Eat this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks… okay, anytime is great for this easy to make savoury pancake filled with a delicious mix of zucchini, carrots, and green onions! The flour gives it more bulk, eggs bind it together, and the baking powder allows each pancake to puff slightly as it cooks.

I like to eat them with sour cream or Greek yogurt (for some extra protein). It is great finger food too with condiments as a dip! I hope you enjoy this recipe!

All the ingredients! Amounts in the "Ingredients" list below.

All the ingredients are mixed in one bowl. The grated zucchini is salted and liquid is drained first.

The mixture is formed into pancakes and pan-fried until golden-brown on each side.

It is filled with yummy vegetables! Garnish with more fresh parsley on top if you like!

Instructions

Using a box grater (or food processor with a grater attachment), grate the zucchini and place it in a fine mesh strainer (with a bowl below), and sprinkle the salt over the zucchini. Set aside for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare and measure the other ingredients (except the olive oil, salt and optional toppings*) and place them in a large bowl.

Then, using your hands, squeeze the grated zucchini to drain excess liquid (it’s okay if it is not completely dry) before adding it with the other ingredients. Combine the ingredients until well incorporated.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil, swirling the skillet to cover the surface. Scoop ⅓ cup of the mixture in the pan and gently press down with a spatula to form a pancake.** Repeat the process until the pan is filled with pancakes, but the pancakes are not touching.

Pan-fry until golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon of the olive oil to the skillet and repeat the process until the mixture runs out.

Top with additional fresh parsley and serve with sour cream or Greek yogurt if you like. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

*Since the zucchini is already salted to draw out the liquid, you don’t need to add additional salt to the mixture, just black pepper. You can always add salt after you cook it to taste.

**One-third cup of mixture per pancake yields 8 pancakes. Feel free to adjust the quantity to get the size of pancake that you want. You can also form pancakes all at once prior to pan-frying.